Zero Catch Horse Mackerel Advice Given for Collapsed North Sea Stock

PelAC has written to DG MARE calling for acceptance of a rebuilding plan for Western horse mackerel in bilateral discussions between the EU and UK ICES has recommended zero catch limit on horse mackerel in the northeast Atlantic for 2023 eapo commmission's bycatch only rule benchmark meeting horse mackerel inter-benchmark meeting horse mackerel week 50 2023 norwegian pelagic bay biscay spanish mackerel stock assessments north sea horse mackerel 2025 assessments

ICES advises zero catch for North Sea horse mackerel stock, while limiting Western stock catches to 74,214 tonnes due to mixing risks

North Sea Horse Mackerel (Divisions 4.b, 4.c, and 7.d)

This section details the critical advice based on the assessment of the North Sea stock ( $hom.27.4bc7d.pdf$ ), covering the southern and central North Sea and the eastern English Channel.

The North Sea horse mackerel stock is currently in a state of severe depletion. The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) has determined that the spawning-stock biomass (SSB) is critically low, falling below both the $B_{PA}$ and $B_{lim}$ thresholds. This indicates that the stock is below the minimum level necessary to reproduce sustainably and requires immediate, drastic action.

Based on the Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) approach and precautionary considerations, ICES advises that there should be zero catch in 2026.

This complete halt to fishing is deemed necessary to provide any opportunity for the stock to recover. The assessment forecasts that the SSB is likely to remain below the limit even with a zero-catch scenario, underscoring the gravity of the depletion and the need for a full fishery closure.

Horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus) in divisions 4.b, 4.c, and 7.d (southern and central North Sea, eastern English Channel)

Western Horse Mackerel (Subarea 8 and Divisions 2.a, 3.a, 4.a, 5.b, 6.a, 7.a-c, and 7.e-k)

This section details the advice for the larger, more stable Western stock ( $hom.27.2a3a4a5b6a7a-ce-k8.pdf$ ), covering the wider Northeast Atlantic and adjacent waters.

The Western horse mackerel stock is in a much healthier condition than its North Sea counterpart. Fishing pressure on this stock is currently assessed as being below $F_{MSY}$ , and the SSB is above both the $MSY B_{trigger}$ and precautionary limits.

To maintain this sustainability, ICES advises that total catches in 2026 should be no more than 74,214 tonnes. This limit, a slight reduction from the previous year’s advice, maintains the stock with only a minimal (2.1%) risk of the SSB falling below the $B_{lim}$ threshold in 2027.

Horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus) in Subarea 8 and divisions 2.a, 3.a, 4.a, 5.b, 6.a, 7.a–c, and 7.e–k (Northeast Atlantic and adjacent waters)

Overarching Management Challenges

The management of both stocks is complicated by the documented evidence of mixing between the two populations, particularly in the English Channel (Division 7.e). The Western stock is targeted in this area, but this creates an unavoidable risk of catching the critically endangered North Sea stock.

ICES warns that catches of the North Sea stock in the Western horse mackerel fishery in Division 7.e must be avoided to support the recovery of the collapsed North Sea population.

Furthermore, ICES notes that it is currently unaware of any agreed precautionary management plan in place for either stock. This absence requires coastal states (including the UK and the European Union) to strictly enforce the advised zero catch in the North Sea and the reduced quota for the Western stock to prevent further stock deterioration.

Source: ICES